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Liam Harwood
Liam Harwood is a defender who signed for Rovers on transfer deadline day, 1st September 2008. Harwood was out of contract at Carshalton Athletic from the end of the 2007-08 season, but because he was under the age of 24 Carshalton were still entitled to a transfer fee. He had initially agreed to join Blue Square South side Bromley, but they were forced to release him back to Carshalton after failing to agree a transfer fee – Carshalton wanted £10,000 but Bromley were only prepared to spend £500 on the player. Liam had played several games for the Rovers reserve team during a trial spell with the club, and impressed the management team enough to earn himself a contract until the end of the 2008-09 season. The deal involved an undisclosed transfer fee, plus further payments based on first team appearances and also a sell-on clause. The only time he was named in the first team's matchday squad was in the 1-0 defeat to AFC Bournemouth in the FA Cup, held on 8 November 2008. He was named amongst the seven substitutes permitted in the competition, but did not make it on to the pitch for the fixture. Shortly before the end of the season he was transferred back to his former club, Carshalton, when it became clear that he had no future with Rovers. Career Liam's first senior club was Chipstead. He played for their youth side, and was playing in the reserves during the 2004-05 season, at the age of 16. The following year he made his debut for the first team, and in the summer of 2006 made the move to Carshalton Athletic. He was an instant hit in the Carshalton first team, and won the Player of the Year award in his first season there. After a slow start to his Rovers career, during which time he was an unused substitute on one occasion, but failed to make it onto the pitch, he joined Ryman League side Margate on loan on 16 December 2008 for some competitive match practice. He impressed enough during his first month with them for his loan to be extended by a further two months, up to the maximum spell allowed by league rules. Following this successful spell he was transferred back to his former club, Carshalton Athletic, where he signed a thirteen-month deal. He was signed by Margate, the club who had previously loaned him from Rovers in September 2009, but after just two games he moved on again, this time to Tonbridge Angels. After a series of poor performances at the start of the 2010–11 season culminating in 4–0 defeat to Cray Wanderers on 21 September, Liam was dropped from the Tonbridge side. Shortly afterwards he agreed the termination of his contract with manager Tommy Warrilow, citing work commitments and the need to take a break from competitive football. Warrilow was angered when he almost immediately signed for Conference South side Bromley, meaning Tonbridge lost out on a transfer fee that they would have been entitled to if they hadn't released him. He moved to Thurrock the the beginning of January 2011, but returned to Bromley after just six weeks. He remained a regular in Bromley's first team until suffering an injury in February 2013, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2012–13 campaign. That summer he made the move to Isthmian League side Merstham. Career stats Awards *2004-05 - Chipstead Under-18s Most Improved Player *2005-06 - Chipstead Under-18s Manager's Player of the Year *2006-07 - Carshalton Athletic Supporters Player of the Year Record against Rovers Liam has never played a competitive game against Bristol Rovers. See also *Players with no league appearances Category:Players Category:Defenders Category:Players who joined in 2008 Category:Chipstead Category:Carshalton Athletic Category:Margate Category:Tonbridge Angels Category:Bromley Category:Thurrock Category:Merstham